Belgium's Charleroi airport opens new terminal

Belgium's second-largest airport, Charleroi, inaugurated a new terminal Saturday, which officials hope will eventually double the number of largely budget passengers flying through.
Located in the largest city in Belgium's French-speaking Wallonia region about 45 kilometres (28 miles) south of Brussels, the newly modernised airport is expected to be partially privatised, Wallonia's transport minister said.

Built to receive up to five million, mostly foreign passengers yearly -- compared to the 2.5 million who currently use the airport -- the new 125 million-euro (185-million dollar) wing will be open to the public January 29.
Irish budget airline Ryanair made Charleroi its main base in continental Europe in 2001 and is by far the airport's leading client, transporting 85 percent of its passengers -- mostly from the Netherlands and northern France.